Optimus Bank has launched a blood donation drive in Lagos to support emergency and maternal healthcare, amid concerns over Nigeria’s persistent gap in blood supply.
The initiative, organised under the bank’s Impact Starts With Us corporate social responsibility platform, brought together employees, stakeholders, and members of the public to donate blood under the theme ‘Give Blood. Give Life.’
Ademola Odeyemi, managing director and chief executive officer of Optimus Bank, said the bank was using its platform to support communities beyond financial services.
‘At Optimus Bank, we believe our responsibility goes beyond banking. The strength of any economy is connected to the well-being of its people, and we are committed to using our platform to create meaningful impact in the communities we serve,’ he said.
Odeyemi said the initiative was also aimed at encouraging Nigerians to contribute to efforts that could give patients another chance at life.
Nigeria requires an estimated 1.8 million to two million units of blood annually, but only 371,827 units were collected in 2024, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The shortfall has implications for patients requiring urgent transfusions, including women experiencing bleeding during childbirth, accident victims, children with severe anaemia, people living with sickle cell disorder, and patients undergoing surgery.
Postpartum haemorrhage accounts for about 23 to 30 percent of maternal deaths in Nigeria, according to the WHO, highlighting the importance of timely access to safe blood during childbirth.
Morolake Philip-Ladipo, head of corporate communications at Optimus Bank, said the initiative was designed to encourage voluntary blood donation.
‘Behind every unit of blood is the possibility of helping a mother, a child, an accident victim, or a patient receive the care they urgently need,’ she said.
The drive received technical support from the Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), to ensure compliance with medical and safety standards.
Titilope Adeyemo, a professor who is the head of the department, said regular voluntary donation was necessary to ensure hospitals had blood available when needed.
‘A safe and reliable blood supply is critical to saving lives. Regular voluntary blood donation helps ensure that blood is available for emergencies, childbirth, surgery, and patients who require ongoing transfusion support,’ she said.
The bank said the blood drive forms part of its broader social-impact activities spanning healthcare, education, economic empowerment, and environmental sustainability.
Optimus Bank said it intends for the initiative to extend beyond the immediate collection of blood by encouraging regular voluntary donation among Nigerians.